Elevator shaft construction



NOV. 1932- c. SHANAFELT ELEVATOR SHAFT CONSTRUCTION 1 72 71 to 7 Clark Jizanczfelt:

Zd2ii Nov. 15, 1932. c SHANAFELT 1,888,018

ELEVATOR SHAFT CONSTRUCTION FiledJuly 11. 1930 2 Sheets-sheet 2 2 17i 156 tive to the fish-plate will be Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be noted that the guide rail section 29 is provided at its upper end with a T-shaped groove 36 which conforms to its cross-section and accommodates a T-shaped lug 37 projecting from the lower end of the rail 15. The lower end of the guide rail section 30 is provided with a T-shaped projection 38 which projects into a T-shaped groove 39 provided in the upper end of the guide rail 16. This construction insures that the guiding surfaces of the guiding rails and guide rail sections will form continuations of each other.

The plate 28 is spaced from the fish-plate 25 by the sliding plates 26 and 27, but it is rigidly secured to the fish-plate 25 by a plurality of bolts 40 which project through elongated slots 41 and 42 provided in the sliding plates 26 and 27, respectively. The arrangement is such that the sliding plates may be displaced longitudinally with respect to the fishplate, and it is readily understood that any movement of the sliding plates relaaccompanied by like movement of the guide rails 15 and 16 and the guide rail sections 29 and 30 as the guide rails and the guide rail sections are secured to the sliding plates 26 and 27 Thus, if the building settles and the rail 15 is forced downwards towards the rail 16, the guide rail section 29 and the sliding plate 26 will move towards the guide rail section 30 and the sliding plate 27, respectively, to take up the movement of the guide rail 15 in such manner that the guide rail 15 is held in alinement with the guide rail 16 and the position of the guide rail 16 is not changed.

The guide rail sections 29 and are preferably constructed in such manner that relative movement thereof, when the building settles or when the guide rails expand or contract in accordance with the temperature, they will present substantially continuous and effective bearing surfaces for the guide shoes (not shown) of the associated elevator (not shown). 1

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, 7 and 8, it willbe noted that each of the guide rail sections is substantially T-shaped in cross section and that they comprise relatively short base portions 45 and 46, which are secured to the sliding plates 26 and 27, respectively, by the bolts 34 and 35, respectively. Formed integral with the base portions 45 and 46 are web portions 48 and 49, respectively, upon which the elevator shoes (not shown) ride. The web portion 48 projects below the base 45 and the web portion 49 projects above the base 46, and these web portions are slotted or grooved in such manner that they provide a pluralityof inter-engaging tongues and grooves. Thus, the web 48 comprises tongues 50 and 51 which engage grooves 52 and 53, respectively,

web 49 comprises tongues 50a and 51a which without departing provided in the web 49, and the guide-rail sections 48 and 49. A groove 56 is provided in the plate 28 and grooves 58 and 59 are provided in the sliding plates 26 and 27, respectively. 7

The grooves 54, 55', 56, 58 and 59 slidingly engage a key 60 which is preferably. of a lengthsubstantially equal to the distance between the upper end of the guide rail section 29 to the lower end of the guide rail section 30 when these members are pushedas far as possible. The lower and upper ends of the guide rails 15 and'16, respectively, abut the end of the key 60 and holdit in place;

" It will be noted that any tendency of lateral displacement of the guide rail sections or the sliding platesrelative to each other is prevented by the key 60. Therefore, the key 60 holds the guide rail sections and the sliding plates in vertical alinement as far as lateral displacement is concerned, and this constructioninsures that the guide rails 15 and 16 will be held in vertical alinement as far as lateral displacement is concerned.

The above described construction is exceedingly advantageous as it obviates the necessity of usingextreme force to bring the guide rails into alignment if they have been secured in place in the elevator shaft] It also obviates the necessity of bringing the guide rails into alinement when the building settles, as my improved expansion joints hold the guide rails in alinement while the building settles. And as set forth above, the improved expansion joints compensate for enpansion and-contraction of the guide rails 1n such manner that they are not forced out of alinement with each other.

'VVhile I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, 8 it is to be understood that itis capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made from the spirit and scope of'the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible, in view of the priorart. What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising guide rails, a fish-plate. sliding plates slidably secured to the fishplate, said sliding plates being constrained to move with said guide rails, and'guide rail sections rigidly secured to said sliding plates and forming a continuation of said guide rails.

2. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising guide rails, a fish-plate, sliding plates slidably secured to the fishplate, said sliding plates being constrained to move with said guide rails, and guide rail sections rigidly secured to said sliding plates and forming a continuation of said guide rails, said guide rail sections having tongues and grooves engaging grooves and tongues, respectively, of another of said guide rail sections.

3. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising guide rails, a fish-plate, sliding plates slidably connected to said fishplate, said sliding plates being rigidly secured to said guide rails, guide rail sections forming continuations of said guide rails and v rigidly secured to said sliding plates, and means preventing lateral displacement of one sliding plate relative to the other.

4. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising guide rails, a fish-plate, sliding plates slidably secured in said fishplate and rigidly secured to said guide rails, guide rail sections rigidly secured to said sliding plates, and a spline slidably engaged by said guide rails sections.

5. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising guide rails, a fish-plate, sliding plates slidably secured in said fishplate and rigidly secured to said guide rails, guide rail sections rigidly secured to said sliding plates, and a spline slidably engaged by c said guide rail sections and limited as to longitudinal displacement relative to said guide rail sections by said guide rails.

6'. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising a fish-plate, sliding plates, slidably secured to said fish-plate, and guide rails rigidly secured to said sliding plates.

7. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising spaced guide rails in vertical alinement, guide rail sections interposed between said guide rails and forming continuations thereof, a fish-plate, and sliding plates slidably secured to said fish-plate and rigidly secured to said guide rails and guide rail sections.

8. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprlsmg spaced gulde ralls 1n verconstrained to move with the first-mentioned guide rail section, a second plate constrained to move with said second guide rail section,

and means slidably engaging said plates and holding them in vertical alinement.

10. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising spaced guiderails in vertical alinement, said guide rails being secured intermediate their ends to supporting means, slides rigidly secured to opposed ends of the guide rails, and means slidably engaged by the slides and holding them in vertical alinement. g 1

11. In elevator shaft construction elevator guiding means comprising guide rails having cut-away portions and projecting parts, the projecting parts of one guide rail projecting into the cut-away portions of the other guide rail, said cut-away portions and said projections forming an expansion joint. Q

In testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, this 30th day of June, 1930.

CLARK SHANAFELT.

tical alinement, guide rail sections inter- V posed between said guide rails and forming continuations thereof, a fish-plate, sliding plates slidably secured to said fish-plate and rigidly secured'to said guide rails and guide rail sections, and a spline slidably engaged by said guide rail sections.

9. In elevator shaft construction, guiding means comprising spaced guide rails in vertical alinement, a guide rail section constrained to move with one of said guide rails, 21 second guide rail section constrained to move with another of said guide rails, a plate 

